[Right_in_Virginia]

"Until last Saturday night, no such warrant had ever been used to search a lawmaker's office in the 219-year history of the Congress"

Until William Jefferson, D-LA, no Congressman was caught on tape taking a bribe.

[Peach]

Abscan and other scandals were investigated and searches conducted but Congressmen cooperated once they knew there was a subpoena.

[mkjessup]

Until William Jefferson, D-LA, no Congressman was caught on tape taking a bribe

I believe that former Congressman Dick Kelly (R-Florida) was caught on tape in the federal Abscam investigation, when he reportedly heard about his pending indictment, Kelly returned his $25,000 bribe to the FBI, emphasizing that only $174 bucks was missing because HE (Kelly) was conducting his own "investigation" into what he called "shady characters".

Johnny Carson got a lot of laughs quoting a news report that Kelly was keeping the cash in the glovebox of his car "to be sure it was safe", and asked if perhaps Kelly kept his roadmaps in his safety deposit box, which would explain why Kelly had no damn idea where he was going.

As for this latest scandal?

I say, identify the perps, if convicted of the crimes they are accused of, build a gallows right there on the Capitol steps and HANG 'EM HIGH!!!

[justche]

Until William Jefferson, D-LA, no Congressman was caught on tape taking a bribe
_______________________
Not sure anyone had declined to honor a supenoa to turn over info either (I'm sure someone with a keen memory for details will know that)

[El Gato]

Until William Jefferson, D-LA, no Congressman was caught on tape taking a bribe.

Well, no. But previously they haven't "Forted Up" in their Congressional office either. Nor refused subpoenas, nor has the "Leadership" not gotten involved in addressing the matter before it got that far. Generally these matters have traditionally been taken care of (ie. swept under the rug as much as possible, with a sacrificial lamb or two to disguise the true extent of the problem) "in house" as it were.

As Sam Clemens (Mark Twain) said, America is a nation without a distinct criminal class "with the possible exception of Congress."

Today, I would drop the word "possible" from that line.